Sketch the graph of each function

Well here is my story.

I am currently in highschool and I have moved and transferred alot of times in my life. This is probably my 11th school in total. Because of this, I am not as smart as I should be. *Example: I was at one school and they were working on cursive handwriting. Then out of no where, I have to transfer schools. Now at the new school, they are already done with cursive handwriting and are now on roman numerals! But I never got to finish cursive handwriting. So It's like, oh well, I can't catch up and I haven't learned everything I have supposed to learn.

It's basically the same thing with highschool. I transferred again, and I didn't get to take Algebra 2 but now I am in College Algebra. (I am a Junior in College Algebra and College Algebra is a Senior Class) It's too late to switch classes and besides there is this girl in my class that I really like and she's so cute and I really want to fight to be in that class with her! (Yes, I realize school is more important than dating) So some of the stuff that I am supposed to know, I don't. So now we are working on ** Sketch the graph of each function** I have NO CLUE how to do them! The problems look something like this: y>(x+1)^(2)-3 OR EITHER LIKE THIS (x+1)^(2)/4 + y^(2)/36 >_[greater than or equal to] 1
I have no clue how to do them. My teacher says something about Parabola. I don't know what that is!!?? I know how to do Substitution, Elimination, and those problems where you have to do Elimination with three equations instead of two.

I really need some help. I am willing to work hard to stay in this class. I don't have time to go after school because my parents have to pick me up.